Jake “TikTok” Johnston is a multi-disciplinary creator from Victoria, BC. He’s known artistically as TikTok—a name that originated while trying to pass the time in what he calls “the lethargic realm of the high school classroom,” where doodling was his saviour. While people often think of artists as individuals whose creativity is manifested through passionate bursts of inspiration that are transferred to canvas or wall, this usually isn’t the case.

What better way to inject love into a sprawling concrete jungle than to physically manifest it across the city. That’s what artist and designer Matthew Del Degan did four years ago in Toronto, when he created Lovebot. Part of the Love Invasion movement, Lovebot’s aim is to evoke a sense of wonder, community, compassion, and warm fuzzy feelings in the hearts of people around the city, and we vouch for the fact that it works!

The way I see it, deciding to be an artist is sort of like deciding to move to Montreal. In theory, it seems like a wonderful, brilliant idea. The city is beautiful, full of culture and art. The food is amazing. The festivals are world-renowned. People sip coffee in quaint little cafes, and have picnics of wine, baguette, and cheese in the park (It’s not just a stereotype. We really do that!) What a fabulous idea, moving to Montreal!

'CREATIVE DIFFERENCES Presented by Grolsch + ION Magazine' is an art series party that includes an interactive art competition. Vancouver hosted the first of the series with artists from Leonid Rozenberg and The Specials, Hot Art Wet City, and Sexy Bizness, and then again in Toronto during TIFF with artists Zarah Diniz, Dawn by Day, and 416 Gallery.

We live in a society of labels. Consciously or not, many people wind up squashing their lives into digestible categories for the sake of ticking boxes in questionnaires, filling out social media profiles, or not ruffling the feathers of the rest of society. Society loves people who can aptly be described in one sentence. White collar or blue collar, Liberal or Conservative, omnivore or vegetarian, Canadians or Bruins fan. People can process this and move on. They’ve made up their mind about you, and whether or not they’d like to have a beer with you.

Immune, Ltd. is a multidisciplinary collective based out of Brighton, UK. Imagine a happy meal of illustration, motion design, hip hop, and Bukowskian grit. Co-founders and co-artists Gustav Balderdash and Bukioe talk about teaming up, the limits of labels, and the ups and downs of the art game.

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Thank you for an awesome interview! It was very good and absolutely needed. I've missed The Radio Dept. I remembering standing a bit up from the scene where they were playing in Arvikafestivalen 2003, I was 18. Every Radio Dept song was like the best sex, most profound political stance and pride. I am from Karlstad, Sweden.